Genetic Engineering Crash Course – Four weeknight sessions

Join us for an exciting and informative series of hands-on biotechnology lab sessions!

Biotech has revolutionized medicine, agriculture and manufacturing in the 21st century. This in-person event is designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of modern methods of genetic engineering.

Dates: Four Weeknights Mondays & Tuesdays Nov 13, 14, 20 & 21, 2023

Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

Location: Biotech Without Borders, 43-01 21St Suite 319, Long Island City, NY 11101

During the crash course we cover three different methods for engineering the code of life: restriction endonucleases/ligation, Golden Gate assembly and CRISPR. Participants will work with safe laboratory strains of bacteria and yeast, engineering them to have different characteristics. You will leave with a theoretical and practical understanding of modern genetic engineering. We supply all the materials and equipment.

This is a class open to the general public- no previous biotechnology experience required. Whether you’re a student, a professional branching out or brushing up on skills, or simply curious about genetic engineering, this event is perfect for you.

About the Instructor:

Dr. Ellen Jorgensen has provided access to hands-on biotechnology lab training to the general public since 2011 and has taught hundreds of adults and students the joy of genetic engineering for the good of the world. She holds a Ph.D. in Cell & Molecular Biology from New York University, spent over 30 years in the biotechnology industry, and is currently founder & president of the community lab Biotech Without Borders, a 501(c)3 nonprofit with a mission to provide access to biotech education to all. Dr. Jorgensen is passionate about increasing science literacy in both student and adult populations, particularly in the areas of molecular and synthetic biology. In 2009 she cofounded Genspace, a community biolab in Brooklyn that was named one of the World’s Top 10 Innovative Companies in Education. She is a SynbioLEAP fellow, recipient of a Shuttleworth Foundation Flash Grant, an alumni of the Amsterdam School of Creative Leadership THNK, and former Education Committee Chair of the GP-write consortium to construct a human genome. Her efforts to develop innovative ways to support citizen participation in science have been chronicled by Nature Medicine, Science, Discover Magazine, Wired, Make, BBC News, Dan Rather Reports, PBS News Hour, The Discovery Channel, and The New York Times. In 2017, Fast Company magazine named her one of their Most Creative Leaders in Business. In 2018 she cofounded Aanika Biosciences, a biotechnology company that uses biomolecules and microbes to ensure the security of food supply chains. Her TED talks, “Biohacking: You Can Do It Too” and “What You Need To Know About CRISPR” have a combined 3.6 million views.